Train Journey to Venice

                                          Glass figurines designed by Picasso with Grand Canal behind.

I travelled to Venice by train.  A wonderful experience. 

First to Paris staying over night and time to visit The Natural History Museum, a delightful small exhibition space full of seeds and information about the beginnings of botanical research linking well into my present work about wild flowers.  Later I caught the evening train to Zurich. 

 Stayed over night in Zurich and next day visited the Kunthaus, Art House, where there was an amazingly, huge Cindy Sherman Exhibition extraordinary images and quite overwhelming!  Plus wonderful national collection of contemporary work. This was one of the highlights of my trip!

 I then caught my evening train to Innsbruk and early the next morning set off on a scenic wonder through the Dolomites down to Vernona and onto Venice.  Then straight onto the waterbus and down the delights of the Grand Canal to the Lido where I stayed in gorgeous garden villa.

Reflection in windows at Peggy Guggenheim Gallery in Venice

 

Visited the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery on the Grand Canal.  Another highlight!  A fascinating and extensive exhibition about Surrealism and her huge collection of contemporary and modern work.  Came upon a very small pencil drawing of Bridget Riley that had such incredible movement ...very inspirational.  And then a Kiefer, Twombly and Tapies placed together.... well I certainly did a 21st Century swoon!

 

 

                                              

                                                              My modest art contribution left on wall in Venice with image of a Ribwort

I made several small laminated cards to distribute at the various places I visited.  Each one has my website on and on the reverse side is this rather lovely quote from Carl Jung:

"At times I feel as if I am spread out over the landscape and inside things, and am myself living in every tree, in the splashing of the waves, in the clouds and the animals that come and go, in the procession of the seasons."

I am delighted to say that I have had quite a flurry of Website interest especially from France so that is really encouraging. 

Back home again and Hedges Edges and Boundaries Exhibition on at Discovery Centre in Craven Arms up and running.  As Guest Artist and Speaker I have several pieces of work and my first 'Performance of The Field' at the Preview seemed to be well received!

Let me take this opportunity of thanking you for reading this blog and connecting with my work.

More experimenting

                                                                                       Waves & birds photo and paint


'Waves & Birds' is an image of some of the St Kilda stacs. This experimental image has been developed out of a much larger painting.  Photographing details in the big paintings and printing them and then working  into the image with more paint has allowed lots more smaller images to emerge.  These small scale paintings, 8"x8",have a vibrancy that might not have been possible if begun on a small canvas. 

The adding of the birds is connecting the image to a place, a habitat, a world that is not occupied by humans.  I am very interested in this concept and exploring its possibilities in other areas such as plants and lichen.

I am back in the Mogg Studio and although the reorganisation is not complete I have enough space to continue working.  Although the Farm Studio space was a delight and I do miss the 'going there' I do feel more grounded here and back home.

The 'Scottish' exhibition is in a state of flux at present but there are some good developments in the pipeline. 

 Continue to watch this space!

Using small photos in large paintings

 

 

 

Hirta - St Kilda detail  acrylic on board  72ins x 28ins

 

 

The above image shows how the checks create a sense of movement and volume.  I have also used small photos of St Kilda in a chequered pattern to enhance the experience of visiting this remarkable place. 

 

The full image can be seen on my website:  www.sheilaghjevons.co.uk 

 

 The website is being upgraded and has introduced a video link.  At the moment the videos are of seeing St Kilda for the first time.

 

 The website will also have a  link to Facebook where Sheilagh will post her latest information and more images of work in progress. 

Finding Basuto

 

 

 

                                                                      
                                                                     'Basuto' a Clyde Puffer - National Waterways Museum

I was thrilled to come across this great, little boat called Basuto at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire which I visited a few weeks ago. 

A Clyde Puffer is a small steam ship and Basuto was built in 1902 at Port Dundas, Glasgow's canal port, by William Jacks and Co - Iron Merchants.  There was a fleet of 6 built all having African place names.. 

 In 1921 Basuto was sold to Wm Cooper and Sons Ltd in Widnes where she was used to carry equipment and raw materials around the Manchester area.  In 1976 Basuta was reported in the newspaper for going and assisting in stabilising a ship on fire. - " As Basuto appeared in the distance across the basin, puffing out smoke as she got up steam, thoughts of the African Queen were evoked".

I have been looking for a boat image to incorporate into my 'Scottish - Making Waves' Exhibition in September.  Basuto fits the bill perfectly.

I hope to make a simple image of her as part of an installation for this exhibition at
 www.artworkstudios.co.uk - Northwich, Cheshire.

Wave making

St Kilda Painting acrylic on paper 72" x 28"

 

At last I am making some big versions of these powerful images.  I am loving the looseness of the mark making and the dramatic splashing of paint.  Then working into it in a more detailed way....

 

I have had a small Open Studio, by invitation.  The Secret Hills Art Café group came and I was thrilled with their interest and encouragement.  In the afternoon more friends turned up and ditto to the above.  Just what I needed to keep this work going.

 

A bit of a break now for the Season's Festivities but so looking forward to my return to this work.

Sea Voyage work developing

                                                                               St Kilda Stacs and waves with paint & ink interventions



I have been working on these images to make them more robust and wanting the experience of the wave movements to encompass these amazing Stacs which rise up out of the water.  The birds colonize them despite the high winds and thrashing rain!

Also I have had them printed onto canvas, on quite a small scale, to play around with......with the hope that something much bigger will emerge!!!

Back Again!

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                 Drawing and Waves - Work in Progress


The summer has been fantastic.  I have so enjoyed being outside in the sunshine and pondering upon how to make images of my Sea Voyage.
 
Hence the long gap in putting up posts.  But with the days getting cooler and outside tasks completed I can concentrate on this work. 

Whilst on my 'sea voyage' I became fascinated with the waves themselves.  Particularly looking down from my balcony and seeing how the ship created all sorts of movement and patterns as it powered itself through the water. The experience of being carried in the ship on the waves gave me a sense of other worldliness.  The life of the sea, its power and extraordinariness translates perfectly to the amazing lives of the St Kildans who lived on the rocky islands so far from the mainland.

 

                                                                          Drawing and Waves - more work in progress


So off to do some more drawings........